Xeriel and Mesdeal
by LoreilDarksky00
Summary: Children have begun disappearing, and it's up to Yuffie and Vincent-now in the WRO-to save the day. But who are these people that keep contacting them in dreams? And what is this feeling they're getting that something is very wrong?
1. First Stage

Yuffie sighed impatiently, leaning against the wall of Reeve's office. She and Vincent, her new mission partner, were awaiting orders of the newest case; the disappearance of a multitude of children.

With parents, guardians, and friends begging the WRO to help, it was a large operation. _It would have been anyways,_ she thought with a frown. _There are over a hundred children gone missing, in only two months._

She shifted her weight, eyes on the ever-silent Vincent Valentine. She knew him well enough to know he also worried about the children, and finding them. But unlike her, he never actively showed it outside of working hard on every mission. Effortlessly, as she always pointed out with a scowl. But still hard.

Reeve _finally_ came in. "Alright. You two know the procedures. We've picked up a trail in the forest and coast northwest of Midgar. Witnesses have seen groups of the children crossing roads in the forest. It looks like they all are in a large group somewhere, and venture off in smaller groups, but never alone. Find out where they all are, and bring them back. We're counting on you two," he added, eyes dark. "Good luck."

They saluted, Yuffie with her trademark ever-optimistic grin. They left the office. Vincent glanced at her as they hurried down the hallways to the elevators. After a few minutes he spoke.

"You feel it."

A rare look of seriousness crossed the ninja's face. She nodded grimly. "There's something more to this. Something big."

He nodded. "I've a feeling we'll find out soon."

Yuffie felt that way herself; her spine felt cold. It always did when something important and most likely dangerous was about to happen. _Lead me to it_, she thought, determination and impatience causing her to walk faster. _Those are kids, and I won't let anything happen to 'em._

xXxXxXxXx

Deep in the forests around Midgar, as the sun was setting, a child scrambled up into a clearing. He gazed down happily at what lay there, resting. His eyes held a strange blankness about them, but it seemed to be an air of indifference. When they alighted on the large being beneath him, they lit up in excitement.

"Are you awake?" he called, sliding down until he was in front of it.

Bright, ice-blue eyes opened, looking down at the boy. It's mouth slowly curved into a smile.

"What are you doing here? You should be with the others, playing." The voice was genderless and rumbling, low and melodic. Hypnotizing.

The boy grinned bashfully. "Yeah, well… it's almost night." He looked into the eyes, which were larger than he was, his own brown eyes pleading.

The huge being sighed good-naturedly. "I suppose that means you all want another flight, right?"

The boy nodded eagerly.

Scales shifted and _clink_ed as the being rose, large jaw opening to reveal pointed teeth. Leathery wings rose and stretched as the enormous spike-covered dragon stood, towering over the child. But the child saw nothing to fear.

"Come on, Mother! Everyone's waiting!"

Ice-blue eyes flashed warmly. "Of course, child. Of course."

xXxXxXxXx

"Artah, Mosemetael has begun gathering children again."

"Hush, Resanon. What that old one does is her business. Allow her a bit of happiness in her old age."

"But what of the children's families?"

"Sister, are you stupid? Mosemetael sent out a call that could be heard only to those who wished direly to leave. You have seen yourself, the 'families' they have. They deserve better, and she gives them food, play, love, and whatever they desire."

"Ehamael! You're so mean… siding with him instead of me!"

"He's only saying the truth. And what are you, daughter of a worm? Grow up! You are Ares' blood!"

"And you, Artah? Son of Hades? You are oversensitive to Gaia-dwellers. Don't think I haven't seen you watching that Wutian Princess from your crystals! Am I not right, Ehamael?"

"Resanon, you are out of the loop, as humans say."

"Jerks!" With that, Resanon, the Goddess of War, stormed off. Artah laughed.

"She has no clue that the Princess shall be one of us someday," he chuckled darkly. He turned. "And that she is tied with us already. You know this well, eh?"

Ehamael shrugged, golden eyes sliding to the side to look at his cousin. "I see no reason for you to drag my niece, Yuffie, into this. But you are ruler here. Unlike Eron, you know what to do."

Artah's eyes turned red. "Don't you dare speak of that fool again. He had Zeus-blood in him, and he nearly killed us all. You know this as well as I do, Ehamael, son of Apollo."

"So I do," the golden-haired god sighed. "I tire of this. Tell the others to leave old Mosemetael alone, won't you? I'd rather my creation be cleared of those wild accusations. Both here and on Gaia."

"I'd already planned to," the raven-haired Ruler of the Gods grinned. "It helps my own plans, both with _my_ nephew and _your_ niece."

"Oh, Aphrodite's blood will have fun with that. After his first love's death, I doubted Vincent would refuse even the touch of her eldest, Heris," Ehamael said thoughtfully. "This will be fun to watch. Heris already wants to use this entire issue to do her work. She even wants to use an arrow."

Artah's hearty laugh boomed through the halls. "Really now? We'll have to see how this works out, then."

"Yes we shall."


	2. Second Stage

"Curveblade to Lockshot, over," Yuffie whispered into her specialty mission phone. She slunk back behind a tree as a monster jumped past. They were in the forest, and had separated after they found two different trails. She could almost hear Vincent's silent sigh at the cover-names she'd insisted on using. You could never tell who might be listening, as she told him.

"I read you… Curveblade," he added when she huffed. "Over. Nothing here, the trail leads to a dead end. Unless those kids have supernatural abilities… hold on. It picks up on a ledge… forty feet above the first spot one could climb."

She blinked. "I'll be there in a moment." She hung up, putting the phone in her pocket as she scampered up a tree before the next monster came by and decided she would make a good snack. Taking a single breath she jumped, bouncing off a limb on the next tree to the one after it. She traveled fast through the treetops, and found Vincent in less than twenty minutes.

"Where'd you say they picked up again?" she asked quietly, knowing that if she was any louder she could get them killed in this place. It wasn't a place for picnics; this was mako-monster territory.

"On that ledge," he nodded to a rim of rock that, as he'd said, was forty feet up from the nearest ledge. He leapt forwards and became nothing more than a whirling blur of red. Yuffie followed, swinging herself up from tiny indents on the cliff face that she could barely press her fingertips into.

As he said, there was a bunch of small footprints and some of the huge clawed tracks they'd seen earlier. They curled around the footprints, almost protectively, but what could something that big possible want with kids other than food?

"Is that thing _herding_ them?" Yuffie whispered. Vincent didn't answer, only looked towards where they led. She got up and put her hands on her hips, thinking hard. The prints weren't that old, barely half a day, and it didn't seem like whatever was with the children was going fast. "We can catch up with them if we run," she decided. Without looking at him, she knew he'd been thinking the exact same thing, and was keeping pace with her.

_We'll find them,_ she thought. _And whatever's with them_. And the thing worried her.

xXxxXxXxXx

Mosemetael knew someone was coming. She could feel it, the presence of two higher beings. She growled, but it ended in a whine. Why couldn't people just leave her and her children alone? They were happy! Isn't that what they wanted for them?

She curled her tail around the large group of little ones leaning against her warm side in the chill air of night protectively. They would not have them. She wouldn't let them take her children.

She raised her head as she heard a sound only she could hear—the voice of her creator. Tilting her head, Mosemetael nodded miserably in response to Ehamael's request.

"I'm sorry," she rumbled to the sleeping children. "You must leave me soon."

She curled up further, head touching her hindquarters. She sighed. This always happened, and she hated it. Why couldn't she have her children? Was there something wrong with that?

As she wondered this, an idea began to take place in her mind. A dangerous idea, but if she could do it… she could keep her children.

And everything would be alright.

XXxXxXxXx

Artah sighed, closing his fist. The image with his crystal died. _So determined_, he thought amusedly. That Yuffie intrigued him. For a demi-goddess, she sure was energetic, even more so than Resanon and Heris.

"You'd better stop that line of thinking," Heris, Goddess of Love, said from her perch on the fountain beside him. "That will mess with Fate, and my own plans."

Artah shrugged. "Can I help it if I'm drawn to her? She's unlike any other I've met!"

"That may be, but she's destined for Vincent," Heris warned. "The Fates have already decided. Or do you want her to die?"

The King of the gods sighed dejectedly and waved his hand. "No. And who are you to be talking to me like this? Be off with you!"

She giggled, standing. "Fine, fine. I was just saying," she said defensively. "That it can't be. We all have our rules." Her gold eyes darkened at the memories of those rules that were broken. "We all know them well."

Artah's eyes became amber. "Yes… we do. Now, if would be so kind to leave me to my business," he stated, raising his hand.

She shook her head and started fading. He wouldn't listen, and it would be his downfall, as well as others. _Yuffie will have a difficult choice to make if he goes through with this,_ she thought angrily. Yuffie was, partly, of Heris' blood. Heris felt it now, and something in her mind clicked.

With a grim smile, she went back to her field of dwelling. Her sisters, Ireas and Ehnin, saw the look on her face and left their crystals. Following Heris to her tree, they remained silent as their sister pulled out a longbow.

"Artah will not heed the Fates," Heris told them as she strung the bow. "We must take care of this ourselves."

"He has fallen in love with Yuffie?" Ireas gaped. "We must work quickly, then."

"Yes," Ehnin agreed quietly, grabbing a shaft, arrowhead, and a bag of feathers.

"Ireas, make the potion. Ehnin, make sure the finished arrow will fly far. On second thought, make two of them. Use the pheonix feathers. I'll shoot." Heris rolled out commands like a soldier. Her sisters followed them closely; the success of their self-proclaimed mission would depend on secrecy and timing.

If Artah found out what they were doing, he, as King of the Gods, would cause the destruction of Heaven and Gaia in his fury. They couldn't let him know.

The plans of the Fates must be followed, at any cost.


	3. Third Stage

"We'll stop here for the night," Vincent said, and promptly sat on a fallen branch, using materia to start a small fire. Yuffie wanted to argue, but she was too tired. And it was cold.

She rolled up her travel cloak to serve as a pillow, and curled up beside the fire. First night was Vincent's turn to have first watch, and Yuffie was grateful she had a kick-ass vampire for a partner.

But sleep didn't come easy. Every time Yuffie started to drift off, a face came from the haze. A man with golden eyes was looking at her, from someplace far away… She felt an emotion coming _from_ him, and she didn't like it. It didn't feel right.

After the sixth time of seeing the man's face, she opened her eyes with a frown. That almost-dream was getting down-right creepy.

She could hear the crackling fire, but not Vincent. As usual, he never made a sound unless he needed to. She craned her neck to look at him. He was looking up at the sky, his red eyes distant, as if he were looking at something far away.

She sighed quietly, knowing that he wouldn't answer her if she asked him what he was thinking of. _Probably Lucrecia_, she thought sadly. She felt bad for him, but she refused to pity him because he was choosing to be miserable all the time. Still…

Before she could finish the thought, the eyes of the man filled her vision, now smoldering red and angry. She gasped and jerked into a sitting position. Vincent glanced over, eyes questioning.

Yuffie stared. Red eyes. Both of them had red eyes. But the other man's were gold first! He still had had red eyes. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out, so she clamped it shut and laid back down.

"Yuffie."

_Of all times for him to wonder what I was about to say._ "Yeah?"

"Something's wrong."

"What are you talking about? I fine. Perfectly fine. Didn't see anything, didn't dream up nothin'," she whispered back. Wonderful, she was rambling. 

"…"

She sighed. "It was just a dream, I guess. It really wasn't anything."

"Hn," he replied, not really convinced but not willing to get into an argument. He knew that she wouldn't talk about it until she was ready—if she would talk about it at all.

She tried to get back to sleep, but couldn't. The man's angry, red eyes came back every time she closed her eyes. Angry herself by then, she got up, marched over to Vincent, and ordered, "Knock me out."

He blinked, then said, "I'm afraid I heard you incorrectly, I could have sworn you just asked me to knock you out."

She nodded. "I did. Problem?"

"Yes, 'problem'. I don't go around hitting women to knock them unconscious. And you might not be up on time."

"It's just this once. And just shake me to wake me up, you know I hate that," she suggested, inwardly wincing at allowing him permission to do this. "I'll do something drastic if you don't."

He stood. "Are you alright? This isn't like you."

"I'm _fine_," she said irritably. "Just _tired_ and can't sleep. Now do it, or I'll start ragging on Lucy."

His hand snapped out and jabbed her in the neck, and she fell into him. He sighed, muttered something about insane young ninjas, and carried her back over to the fire. Putting her down with her head on her cloak, he resumed his watch.

xXxxXxXxXx

The large dragon left her 'children' playing in a sheltered cave with a warm shallow pool. Their happy laughter echoed in her ears, a bitter reminder of what lay ahead if her plan didn't work.

She sighed heavily as she launched herself off a nearby cliff, powerful wings bringing her higher with each flap. Soaring up to the clouds she quickly switched dimensions, heeding her master's call.

Exiting cloud cover, she surveyed the land beneath her with dead eyes. The land of the gods was never a fun place for her to visit, if only because the only times she was called there were because they were ordering her to let the children go back to those awful, horrible, filth they called "home" while they'd been forced to stay there…

"Mosemetael!" Ehamael's voice. She growled, but followed the sound to land lightly in front of her master and creator. His eyes were kind, as usual when they rested on anything he made. And it wasn't him she didn't like. He was a good a master as any. It was the _other_ Gods and Goddesses she hated.

"Ah, there you are. Sorry to drag you away from the kids," he gave her a half-smile. "But even though I explained, and Artah agreed, the others still want a hearing."

"A _hearing_? This is not a court of law. This is a kingdom of Gods," the dragon snorted. "But I will come."

"Good," Ehamael murmured. "You know where to go."

Mosemetael nodded miserably. It did her no good to argue, and she knew it.

xXxxXxXxXx

Heris and her sisters froze when they sensed another presence, but relaxed amid their work when they recognized it as Minerva. The appointed Goddess of Gaia smiled.

"Been busy, I see," she tapped Heris' bow. "Good. I approve."

Ireas sighed. "I'm glad of that. But this is hard enough without Artah knowing…"

"Who said anything about telling _him_?" Minerva asked mildly, tilting her head. "As the only true goddess of Gaia, I don't appreciate him messing in what are by law and moral my affairs. Hasn't he got other worlds to attend to? Earth, for instance?"

Ehnin shook her head. "None believe in the old ways, and that planet is wracked by human destruction. The invention of the nuclear bomb has led to half the planet being destroyed completely."

Minerva shook her head sadly. "And he could have prevented that. I'm sorry," she sighed. "I know that was the world you three made."

The trio shrugged, appearing for all the universe like they didn't care, even though they did. Minerva knew them better than that, but she didn't speak any more on that subject.

"So… who's getting the second arrow?" she wondered. "Unless you plan on shooting them both."

"Artah," Heris whispered. "What he wishes must not come to pass. The Fates have spoken, we must make it so."

Gaia's goddess hissed, eyes wide. That was against all laws… to force the King of the Gods to fall in love with another… _Unless ordered by the Fates_, she thought grimly. _Then it's a matter of who gets their plan finished first._

Seeing the hopelessness on the younger two, Minerva forced a smile. "Well, good luck then. If the Fates have decreed it, then indeed it shall happen. They are not a force to take lightly."

"We know," the three said together, getting back to work. "We must hurry."

As Minerva went back to her own dwelling, she couldn't help but wonder why Artah would do something like this. But then again… she knew the fool, and knew him well. He was following the same steps as his predecessor, Eron, no matter how hard he denied it—even in his own mind.


	4. Fourth Stage

"Mm… lemme alone…" Yuffie muttered, curling into a tighter ball. The hands on her shoulders continued to shake her, and she opened her eyes with a glare.

What met her eyes was not what she expected.

The man with gold—or was it red?—eyes sat back, the beginnings of a smug smile on his face. She jumped to her feet, searching for her weapons, but they weren't there. In fact… neither were her clothes. She, instead of her tank top and shorts, was in a short white dress.

"Who are you?" she demanded, settling with dropping into a fighting pose and bringing her fists up, ready to use the martial art skills that Tifa had taught her.

He raised his hands in a peace gesture. "No need to get violent," he chuckled. "I am Artah."

Chancing a quick look around, she saw that she was in the middle of a large room filled with trees and birds. There were no exits. Her mind went into overdrive, trying to figure out a way to get out of this place and back to Vincent.

Artah's smile froze, and his eyes became red again, just like they had in her dream. He glared. "Why are you in such a hurry to get back to him? It's not like he treats you the way he should," the black-haired man growled.

Yuffie blinked, but scowled. "He treats me better than others do, not that it's any business of yours. And I'm in a hurry to get back to him because—"_—I…—_"—we have a mission to finish. And I don't appreciate you bringing me here in the middle of that mission."

He shrugged. "You're still there, while you're here."

She glared, now in thoroughly pissed off. "Stop talking in riddles!"

"Not a riddle at all, my dear Yuffie," he smiled, showing unnaturally white teeth. "You're unconscious right now. Your body is back with… Vincent… and your soul is here."

"WHAT THE HELL?" she yelled, wondering if she was dead.

'Yuffie…'

She heard Vincent's voice, but he sounded far away. She turned towards it. "Vince! Here! Get me outta this place!"

'_Yuffie, wake up.'_

She blinked, confused. "But I am… oh! Eheh, nevermind. I must be asleep still, to be here."

She closed her eyes, then opened them again. Vincent was there, shaking her gently. Blinking again, she was back in the large room, with Artah jumping to his feet and running after her, yelling.

"No! Don't go with him!" He grabbed her wrist so hard she could _hear_ the bone shattering. She yelped, and pulled away, searching for Vincent again. Another blink and she was back with him, sitting up and cradling her wrist. She refused to blink again.

"What's wrong?" Vincent wondered, eyes on hers. Something flickered in the red, but she ignored it.

"Dream again," she sighed, wincing as she moved her wrist. He grabbed her forearm, turning it over so he could see the bruising on the skin, and odd ridges where the bone was pressing up and out. He stared at her.

"Dreams don't do this, and you didn't move at all while you slept."

She took a deep breath, struggling to forget the pain. "Hand me a cure materia and I'll tell you." He did, doing it himself, making sure the bones set correctly. Then she told him about the man with changing eyes, and what had happened. She left out the part where that 'Artah' had gotten mad about Vincent.

"This isn't good."

"…"

"… What?"

"Really? That's all you have to say?"

"…"

"I _know _it's not good! Hell, that guy was creepy, and the looks he kept giving me were just plain _wrong_! And he harmed me from wherever we were, while I was here… sorta… And then I was blinking and every other second I was here, then there, then here again!"

"Looks?"

"…You know what, let's just get going. And next time, knock me out for real, so I can't dream," she muttered. She stood, turning away from her partner to hide her rapidly growing blush. He could figure it out himself. With a quiet sigh, she put on her cloak and shook off a chill in her spine. Gaia knew whatever had happened, Yuffie could ignore it and force it out of her mind until it had nowhere left to go: to the top of the list, where she couldn't hide from it anymore.

She ignored the looks Vincent gave her as they got ready to go, and kept ignoring them when they started following the trail again. She didn't need or want his pity.

xXxxXxXxXx

Mosemetael followed her master to the court of the Gods, a large golden throne room. She let her tail drag, not caring that the spiked appendage left dark marks on the otherwise unblemished surface. Artah, Resanon, Falieron, God of the Skies, and Etar, Goddess of Storms, stood on the raised platform in the center of the room.

"Ah, Mosemetael," Artah said silkily. "It has been some time."

"Indeed it has, milord," the she-dragon forced herself to be calm and reply politely. "I'm told you have arranged a hearing?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact. About the children."

Fighting back the urge to fly back and make sure her children were alright, she asked, "Have I not taken good care of them? My only wish is to see them happy…"

"We have seen that, through both this time and the previous," Etar intoned. "It is believed that… test, of sorts, should be made. To see how you handle the children for longer than you have before." The goddess looked to Falieron, her brother, for approval. He nodded.

"If milord would grant me such a kindness, I would repay it as much as my abilities allow," Mosemetael said fervently. She knew this was her chance, to keep her children… to keep them happy, safe…

She did not miss the way Artah's smile made her large spine crawl. She wondered what he would ask in return for this trial. From the way his eyes gleamed hungrily, she did not relish finding out.

"So," Ehamael said. "Lord Artah. Judging from Mosemetael's past actions, should she be allowed to keep the children for the trial period, where another hearing would be arranged?"

"Yes," Artah replied. "The trial has begun. I leave you to your children, creation of Ehamael's." He stepped back and faded away to his dwellings.

Resanon sniffed. "Count yourself lucky, dragon."

_I am,_ she thought to herself as her master dismissed her, and she flew away and switched dimensions. _You have no idea._

xXxxXxXxXx

Heris watched as her sisters worked on the spell and arrows. She herself was busy making sure her bow was ready. She went through around four bows on a weekly basis, and the bow she held was the only one for the job, so making sure it wouldn't break was essential.

"Ireas, Ehnin. How much longer?"

"Seeing as we're hurrying…" Ireas began, and bit her lip.

"Three days, sister," Ahnin informed her. "At most."

Heris sighed. "Understood. I have set up signals, so if Artah comes we shall be ready. Have either of you found someone for him?"

Her sisters looked at one another. "Shelke has begun to age again…"

Heris nodded. "She is our best bet… though I don't understand why the Fates would not tell us who would be his destined. It is not often they give us free reign in matters of this importance… it makes me wonder."

"For now, we must do what we must do, and ponder it later," Ehnin stated quietly as she attached phoenix feathers to one of the arrows. "The Fates will tell us if we must choose another."

"She is right, sister," Ireas breathed as she used her powers to help her make the potion that would start a chain of events that even the Fates weren't sure of. "All we can do is work to finish this."

Heris bit her lip, her long, wavy blonde hair falling forwards as she looked down. "I do not know what shall become of us afterwards," she admitted. "But whatever comes to pass… you are my sisters."

While the main point went unsaid, the sisters knew what was meant, and smiled back at the older goddess. Each loved their sisters, too, and would stand by them forever.

Quickly making a crystal, Heris sent the information of their first choice—Shelke—to Minerva for approval. She also had a part to play in all this, after all.

Heris only hoped that Artah would not make the same mistake Eron did…

The Fates would not be so lenient as they were the last time.


End file.
